Package construction

ABSTRACT

A package construction having a plurality of articles supported on a support therefor and being provided with at least one columnar member supported on the support and having a portion which extends above the articles. An overwrap is shrunk around the support, articles, and columnar member to provide a high strength unitary package.

229/42 X 229/3.1 UX 229/3.l UX 229/3.l UX

l 13,s95,3s4

2,676,748 4/1954 Sprenger et 3,384,229 5/1968 Kaschyk et al....Bloomfield Hills, Mich. 2,942,532 6/1960 Pearce................,.......1,561,471 11/1925 1,592,824 7/1926 Fairchild 3,093,529 6/1963Freyhold......................

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,104,798 2/1968 Great Britain................ PrimaryExaminer-Joseph R. Leclair Assistant Examiner-John M. CaskieAtt0rneyGlenn, Palmer, Lyne, Gibbs & Thompson 206/65 S, 206/4533, 229/15805d 71/00 Inventors Henry 0. Sargent Grottocs, Vm; Thomas C. GresgeAppl. No. 771,920

Oct. 30, 1968 Reynolds Metals Company Richmond, Va.

PACKAGE CONSTRUCTION 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

Int. Cl......

ABSTRACT: A package construction having a plurality of articlessupported on a support therefor and being provided with at least onecolumnar member supported on the support and having a portion whichextends above the articles. An overwrap is shrunk around the support,articles, and columnar member to provide a high strength unitarypackage.

6% w 2 u 02 l 2 6 M 0 .9 2 "2 m "u S 1% mm m 4 m MAW .IP I sm mm mum WAm n RTW M c t I Rw h n 9 mm N6 m Um s t 1 0 l M 0 .n r M 1 1 n 0 6 4 UH 3 United States Patent [22] Filed [45] Patented July 27,197]

[73] Assignee PATENTED JUL27 I97! SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR O. SARGEI?! ITHOMAS C. GRESGE zw mlm, If

HENRY 7 M) P JKMMMAJ THEIR ATTORNEYS PACKAGE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION Many liquid products, such as beverages, for example, aresold in disposable paper cartons and transported U.S. Pat. retailestablishments, consumers, etc., in heavy and comparatively expensivetransport cases made of Ser. metal, and the like. In U.S. Pat. thesetransport cases are not satisfactory in protecting their associatedbeverage cartons against dust and other foreign materials, are quiteheavy to handle, and the empty cases require further special handlingand take up valuable storage space.

SUMMARY BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings showpresently preferred exemplary embodiments of this invention, in whichFIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one exemplary embodiment of apackage construction of this invention having a plurality of 12liquid-containing cartons packaged therein with a plurality ofsubstantially L-shaped columnar members each provided adjacent anassociated corner of the package construction and with a transparentplastic overwrap shrunk therearound;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken essentially the line 2-2 of FIG.I with the plastic overwrap not shown;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the upper end portion ofthe package construction taken essentially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 andparticularly illustrating the manner in which the shrunk overwrap isheld away from the upper ends of the cartons by the columnar members;

FIGQ4 is a fragmentary crosssectional view of the upper portion of aside of the package construction taken essentially on the line 4-4ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a typical L-shaped columnar membercomprising the package construction of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating anotherexemplary embodiment of the package construction of this invention whichhas a plurality of nine cartons packaged therein; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the cartons of FIG. 6 inposition on an associated support and showing associated L-shapedcolumnar members arranged thereabove prior to inserting such columnarmembers in position and shrinking a plastic overwrap therearound and,FIG. 7 also shows a portion of the support and of one columnar memberbroken away to illustrate these exemplary components made of moistureimpervious paperboard.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS Reference is now made to FIG. 1of the drawings wherein an exemplary embodiment of the packageconstruction of this invention is illustrated and designated generallyby the reference numeral 20. The package construction 20 comprises asupport 21 which has a plurality of articles carried thereon and thearticles in this exemplary embodiment of the invention are shown as aplurality of liquid-containing paperboard cartons 22 of the typegenerally used to contain dairy products such as milk, or the like. Aplurality of four columnar members 24 are providedand arranged betweenadjacent cartons 22 and an overwrap 25 is provided and shrunk around thesupport 21, cartons 22, and columnar members 24 to provide a unitarypackage construction which has high columnar strength.

The package construction 20 with its overwrap 25 defines a sanitarypackage construction wherein dirt, dust, and other foreign materials areprevented from accumulating on the top surfaces ofthc cartons 22 and thecolumnar strength provided by the members 24 enables vertical stackingof a plurality of package constructions 20 while providing maximumprotec tion for the upper ends of the cartons 22 and as will bedescribed in detail subsequently.

The liquid-containing cartons 22 of this exemplary embodiment of theinvention are of known construction and may have walls made ofexpendable paperboard which has been suitably coated or otherwisetreated to provide a construction which is impervious to fluid flowtherethrough. The upper end 26 of each carton 22 has a gabledconfiguration terminating in a top edge 27 and the volume within theupper end 26 is empty of liquid and thus could be partially collapsed ifa load were to be applied thereagainst. In addition, each carton 22 mayhave a pouring spout of known construction defined as an integral partof its upper end 26.

The columnar members 24 of this exemplary embodiment of the inventionare of substantially equal height and have a height indicated by thereference numeral at 30. The exemplary cartons 22 are also ofsubstantially equal height, having a height indicated by the referencenumeral at 31. Thus, each columnar member 24 has an upper end portion 33which extends above the liquid-oontaining cartons 22, see FIGS. 3 and 4of the drawings.

The overwrap 25 is preferably defined and provided in position in anysuitable manner and as will be described in detail subsequently and uponshrinking the overwrap 25 around the support 21, cartons 22, andcolumnar members 24 the upper portions 33 serve the The function ofprotecting the gabled upper ends 26 of the cartons 22 against collapseas well as providing substantially rigid vertical columns which enable aplurality of package constructions similar to the desirable 20 to bestacked vertically. The upper portions 33 protect the upper ends 26against collapse by holding the shrunk overwrap 25 in a shieldlikemanner in spaced relation above such upper ends, thereby preventingother objects or packages from being urged against the gabled ends aswell as preventing the gabled ends from being shrunk in position tootightly to cause collapse.

The support 2 of the exemplary package construction 20 has asubstantially rectangular peripheral outline and a plurality 'of 12liquid-containing expendable cartons 22 are supported on the support 21.The support 21 may be in the form of a rectangular supporting tray whichhas sidewalls 34 and end walls 35 which define vertical-wall portions ofthe support 21 extending upwardly only a small fractional part of theoverall height 31 of the cartons 22 and the wall portions, i.e.,sidewalls 34 and end walls 35, provide added stability for the lower endportions of liquid-containing cartons 22.

The exemplary package construction 20 may have any desired number ofcolumnar members and in this example has a plurality of four columnarmembers 24. Each columnar member 24 is arranged adjacent an associatedcorner of the support 21 and each columnar member 24 has a substantiallyL-shaped cross-sectional configuration defined by a bight 36 and a pairof outwardly extending legs each designated by the same referencenumeral 37, see FIGS. 2 and 5.

Each L-shaped columnar member 24 is arranged adjacent to and with itsoutwardly extending legs 37 opening outwardly from the packageconstruction 20 and toward an associated comer of the support 21 andeach member 24 has one of its legs 37 sandwiched between a corner carton22 and the central end carton and its other leg 37 sandwiched betweensuch comer carton and an adjoining side carton. The columnar members 24may be placed in position on the support 21 either before, after, orduring the placing of the cartons 22 on the support 21; and, if desired,in some applications of this invention the lower edges of each columnarmember 24 may in fastened to the support 21 as by utilizing adhesivemeans or any other suitable known technique.

It has been determined feature test that the utilization of foursubstantially L-shaped columnar members 24 adjacent associated corner ofopenings support 21 provide the required columnar strength for thepackage construction 20. .Each member 24 has an L-shaped bearing surface38 defining the top surface thereof and the total area of the bearingsurfaces 38 provides an adequate area against which the overwrap 25 maybe shrunk without likelihood of damage thereto. It will also be is thata comparatively large area and substantially planar continuous surfacedesignated generally by the reference numeral 40 is thus defined withinthe confines of the columnar members 24. The surface 40 shields theentire top of the package construction 20, preventing foreign materialsfrom reaching the top surfaces of the cartons 22 and also provides asubstantially planar and resilient support which further assures easyvertical stacking of a plurality of package constructions 20.

The overwrap 25 may be in the form of any suitable material and ispreferably in the form of a heat-shrinkable plastic material such as afilm of transparent polyvinyl chloride, or the like. The overwrap 25 ispreferably defined as a comparatively large diameter tubular sleevewithin which the remaining components of the package construction 20 areinserted as an assembly either manually or by using a fully automatedmachine. The tubular sleeve with its assembled components in position isthen subjected to a heat environment to shrink the sleeve in position,leaving a pair of openings 39 in opposite end of the packageconstruction and the portion 41 of the shrunk sleeve, now defining theoverwrap 25, comprising the top of each opening 39 may be easily graspedand used as a handle for carrying the package construction 20. It willalso be appreciated that the use of a transparent material for theoverwrap enables the cartons 22 in each package construction 20 to beeasily viewed thereby eliminating the need to provide separateidentification on the exterior of the substantially sealed packageconstruction 20 to identify the contents thereof.

As seen particularly in FIG. of the drawings, each L- shaped columnarmember has a substantially arcuate portion 42 defining the top outeredge of each outwardly extending leg 37. The arcuate portions 42 enablethe plastic film 25 to be heat shrunk tightly thereagainst withoutdamage thereto of the type which might otherwise be caused in the eventeach L- shaped member 24 were to have a sharp comer defining its topouter edge.

The support 21 and the columnar members 24 may be made of suitableinexpensive and readily expendable materials and in one exemplaryapplication of this invention the support 2 and members 24 were made ofcorrugated paperboard. In those applications where the cartons 22 to bepackaged within the package construction are cartons, such as milkcartons, which must be refrigerated and hence kept in environments whichmay have considerable moisture the support 21 and the columnar members24 may still be made of paperboard, or the like, and suitably treated torender them substantially moisture impervious.

Thus, it is seen that all of the structural members of the packageconstruction 20 may be comprised of expendable materials. The packageconstruction 20 may be delivered directly to an ultimate user and suchuser need be only concerned with using the product contained within thecartons 22 and discarding everything else.

In those applications where the package constructions 20 are deliveredto a retail merchant, for example, he may simply remove the cartons 22and discard everything else without concerning himself with handling andstoring the transport containers. Obviously, the technique of packaginga food product, such as a beverage, in the manner presented in thisinvention enables a substantial reduction in the operating costs of boththe beverage manufacturer or processor and the retail merchant byeliminating the requirement to provide valuable storage space andeliminating the handling of storage cases as is presently required usingpresently known techniques.

Another exemplary embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6and 7 of the drawings. The package construction illustrated in FIGS. 6and 7 is very similar to the package construction 20. Therefore, suchpackage construction will be designated generally by the referencenumeral 20A and parts of the package construction 20A which are verysimilar to corresponding parts of the package construction 20 will bedesignated by the same numeral as the package construction 20 alsofollowed by the letter designation A and not described again. Only thosecomponent parts of the package construction 20A which are substantiallydifferent than the package construction 20 will be designated by a newreference numeral also followed by the letter designation A anddescribed in detail.

The main difference between the package construction 20A and the packageconstruction 20 is that in the package construction 20A a plurality ofnine cartons 22A comprise the package construction 20A rather than aplurality of 12 cartons whereby the package construction 20A eliminatesone row of cartons 22A. However, the package construction 20 alsoutilizes a plurality of four columnar members 24A of substantiallyL-shaped cross-sectional configuration and has a substantially squareperipheral outline rather than an oblong rectangular outline as providedby the package construction 20.

The package construction 20A has a top substantially planar surfaceportion which will be designated by the reference numeral 44A which isof comparatively smaller area than the corresponding top surface 40 ofthe package 20 whereby the overwrap 25A is held in a taut manner betweenthe top edges of the columnar members 24A. It will also be seen that themembers 24A effectively engage and space each carton 22A from animmediately adjacent carton, except the center carton 22A, oversubstantial surface areas and as indicated by the reference numeral 45Aat a few representative locations.

The columnar members 24 and 24A comprising the package constructions 20and 20A respectively are shown as having a substantially L-shaped crosssection configuration and arranged with a bight thereof facing outwardlytoward an associated comer of the bottom support. However, it will beappreciated that the columnar members 24 and 24A may be defined assubstantially flat members rather than L-shaped members or such membersmay have any other suitable configuration.

In those applications where the columnar members are defined assubstantially flat sheets, one or more of such flat sheets may extendcompletely across its associated bottom support. In addition,substantially flat columnar supports may be slit in a known manner andsuitably interlocked and arranged perpendicular to each other to definesubstantially isolated compartment means for an article to be insertedtherewithin whereupon the plastic overwrap may then be shrunk around anassembly of articles, elongated crisscrossed columnar members, and anassociated bottom support in a similar manner as described for thepackage constructions 20 and 20A. With this technique it will beappreciated that breakable articles or products contained withinbreakable containers may be effectively packaged in an expendablepackage construction of the character taught by this invention, yetproviding maximum protection for such articles.

The corrugated paperboard utilized to define the support 21 and columnarmembers 24 of the package construction 20 should have sufficientstrength to provide the desired columnar strength for the columnarmembers 24 as well as provide the support 21 having sufficient strength.It has been found that a suitably treated corrugated paperboard having aburst strength of lbs. is acceptable in providing columnar members 24and supporting trays for each package construction 20, which carries l2milk cartons, each containing A gallon of milk. Similarly, it has beenfound that corrugated paperboard having a burst strength of l25 lbs. isacceptable in providing the columnar members 24A and support 21A foreach package construction A utilized to carry 9 milk cartons, eachcontaining 1% gallon of milk.

As previously indicated, the shrinkable overwrap and 25A used for thepackage constructions 20 and 20A respectively is preferably made of aheat-shrinkable plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride. Theoverwrap in each instance is preferably in the form of a tubular sleevewhich may have a given thickness defined as a single layer or aplurality of layers which have been suitably prelaminated together.Further, it has been found that for package constructions comprised ofeither nine or 12 half-gallons of milk an overwrap of polyvinyl chloridehaving a total thickness of 0.0015 inch is satisfactory.

Either package construction 20 or 20A may be easily lifted and carriedby grasping the bottom surface of the associated bottom support or, aspreviously mentioned in connection with package 20, by inserting onesfingers within the openings defined in opposite ends of the associatedpackage once the tubular plastic overwrap is shrunk in position andlifting against surface portions of the shrunk sleeve defining theparticular end opening.

While present exemplary embodiments of this invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be recognized that this invention maybe otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of thefollowing claims.

We claim:

1. In combination: a support; a plurality of articles supported on saidsupport; a plurality of columnar members of substantially equal heightsupported on said support; said columnar members being free of saidsupport, said articles, and each other; each of said columnar membershaving a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its verticalheight; each columnar member being arranged between adjacent articlesand having an upper portion which extends above both said support andsaid articles with said upper portion terminating in a top edge; and anoverwrap shrunk around said support, articles, and columnar members toprovide a unitary package construction; said columnar members providingcolumnar strength for said package construction enabling verticalstacking of a plurality of package constructions and said upper portionsof said columnar members serving to protect the upper ends of saidarticles.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1, in which said plurality ofarticles comprise a plurality of liquid-containing cartons with theupper ends of each carton being empty of liquid and thus partiallycollapsible and having an integral pouring spout defined therein, saidcolumnar members are each comprised of corrugated paperboard having highcolumnar strength, and said upper portions of said columnar membersserving to protect said upper ends against collapse and hence saidpouring spouts against damage.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1, in which the top edge of eachof said columnar members has an arcuate portion enabling said overwrapto be shrunk thereagainst without damage thereto.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 1, in which said supportcomprises a supporting tray having a bottom wall and vertical wallportions, said vertical wall portions extending upwardly only a smallfractional part of the overall height of the articles and columnarmembers and providing added stability for the lower end portions of saidarticles.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said sup port andcolumnar members are each comprised of corrugated paperboard and saidshrinkable overwrap comprises a shrinkable plastic film whereby saidpackage construction is made of comparatively inexpensive expendablematerials and has a high strength-to-weight ratio.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 1, in which each of said columnarmembers has a substantially L-shaped crosssectional configuration whichprovides increased vertical stability therefor.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 6, in which said support and saidL-shaped columnar members are each made of substantially moistureimpervious corrugated paperboard and said overwrap comprises a film ofpolyvinyl chloride which is heat shrunk in position.

8. In combination: a support having a substantially rectangularperipheral outline; a plurality of articles supported on said support; aplurality of four L-shaped columnar members of substantially equalheight supported on said support; each columnar member being arrangedbetween adjacent articles an having an upper portion which extends abovesaid articles; each columnar member also having a substantially L-shapedcross-sectional configuration defined by a bight and a pair of outwardlyextending legs, each L-shaped columnar member being arranged adjacent toand with its outwardly extending legs opening toward an associatedcomer, said L-shaped configuration of each columnar member providingimproved vertical stability therefor; and an overwrap shrunk around saidsupport, articles, and columnar members to provide a unitary packageconstruction; said columnar members providing columnar strength for saidpackage construction enabling vertical stacking of a plurality ofpackage constructions with said upper portions of said columnar membersserving to protect the upper ends of said articles; said overwrapcomprising a heat-shrinkable plastic film and the top outer edge of eachoutwardly extending leg of each L-shaped columnar member having asubstantially arcuate configuration enabling said plastic film to beheat shrunk thereagainst without damage thereto.

1. In combination: a support; a plurality of articles supported on saidsupport; a plurality of columnar members of substantially equal heightsupported on said support; said columnar members being free of saidsupport, said articles, and each other; each of said columnar membershaving a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout its verticalheight; each columnar member being arranged between adjacent articlesand having an upper portion which extends above both said support andsaid articles with said upper portion terminating in a top edge; and anoverwrap shrunk around said support, articles, and columnar members toprovide a unitary package construction; said columnar members providingcolumnar strength for said package construction enabling verticalstacking of a plurality of package constructions and said upper portionsof said columnar members serving to protect the upper ends of saidarticles.
 2. A combination as set forth in claim 1, in which saidplurality of articles comprise a plurality of liquid-containing cartonswith the upper ends of each carton being empty of liquid and thuspartially Collapsible and having an integral pouring spout definedtherein, said columnar members are each comprised of corrugatedpaperboard having high columnar strength, and said upper portions ofsaid columnar members serving to protect said upper ends againstcollapse and hence said pouring spouts against damage.
 3. A combinationas set forth in claim 1, in which the top edge of each of said columnarmembers has an arcuate portion enabling said overwrap to be shrunkthereagainst without damage thereto.
 4. A combination as set forth inclaim 1, in which said support comprises a supporting tray having abottom wall and vertical wall portions, said vertical wall portionsextending upwardly only a small fractional part of the overall height ofthe articles and columnar members and providing added stability for thelower end portions of said articles.
 5. A combination as set forth inclaim 1 in which said support and columnar members are each comprised ofcorrugated paperboard and said shrinkable overwrap comprises ashrinkable plastic film whereby said package construction is made ofcomparatively inexpensive expendable materials and has a highstrength-to-weight ratio.
 6. A combination as set forth in claim 1, inwhich each of said columnar members has a substantially L-shapedcross-sectional configuration which provides increased verticalstability therefor.
 7. A combination as set forth in claim 6, in whichsaid support and said L-shaped columnar members are each made ofsubstantially moisture impervious corrugated paperboard and saidoverwrap comprises a film of polyvinyl chloride which is heat shrunk inposition.
 8. In combination: a support having a substantiallyrectangular peripheral outline; a plurality of articles supported onsaid support; a plurality of four L-shaped columnar members ofsubstantially equal height supported on said support; each columnarmember being arranged between adjacent articles an having an upperportion which extends above said articles; each columnar member alsohaving a substantially L-shaped cross-sectional configuration defined bya bight and a pair of outwardly extending legs, each L-shaped columnarmember being arranged adjacent to and with its outwardly extending legsopening toward an associated corner, said L-shaped configuration of eachcolumnar member providing improved vertical stability therefor; and anoverwrap shrunk around said support, articles, and columnar members toprovide a unitary package construction; said columnar members providingcolumnar strength for said package construction enabling verticalstacking of a plurality of package constructions with said upperportions of said columnar members serving to protect the upper ends ofsaid articles; said overwrap comprising a heat-shrinkable plastic filmand the top outer edge of each outwardly extending leg of each L-shapedcolumnar member having a substantially arcuate configuration enablingsaid plastic film to be heat shrunk thereagainst without damage thereto.